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Monday, February 13, 2006

Seeing Emily. By Joyce Lee Wong

This novel deals with a teen girl Emily torn between two very different cultures, and how she deals with it. This story is written in verse, which in my frame of mind is easier to read. The two cultures are Chinese, and American. Emily is born in the United States of Chinese parents. When Emily is 16, her parents send her to Taiwan to spend the summer with her Little Aunt to increase her knowledge of the Chinese language.

Many Chinese traditions are mentioned in the book. For instance, birthday noodles, which have to be unbroken strands that symbolize a full long life. A picture, or carving of a phoenix brings Chinese luck. Chinese parents want their sons to become dragons, which means they have achieved their fullest potential. The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon,snakes, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, boar.

The novel was good in my opinion, but I am personally interested in any Chinese information.